First Watch

First Watch added 21 new restaurants to its daytime café empire last year and opened its first stores in the Dallas, Houston and Philadelphia markets, the company said Tuesday.

The Manatee County-based chain has a 33-year history in the breakfast, brunch and lunch business, and 2016 is the company’s 32nd year of positive comparable restaurant sales growth, First Watch said.

The company also formed 10 new partnerships that will allow the chain to open 100 new restaurants and enter new markets in Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas.

First Watch has grown rapidly in recent years as it acquired comparable restaurant chains. The chain converted 19 The Good Egg restaurants in Arizona and 18 The Egg & I restaurants in Dallas; Nashville, Tennessee; and Birmingham, Alabama, to the First Watch brand. The company has owned those chains since 2014 and 2015, respectively.

First Watch bills itself as the largest and fastest-growing daytime-only restaurant concept in the U.S., with more than 295 restaurants in 26 states, which includes more than 195 First Watch restaurants, 97 The Egg & I restaurants, one The Good Egg restaurant in Phoenix and one Bread & Company restaurant in Nashville.

BRADENTON — First Watch Restaurants Inc. has acquired Nashville, Tennessee-based Bread & Company, including two restaurants and all the company’s recipes, marks and intellectual property.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The daytime cafe chain said the two restaurants are in the Nashville communities of West End and Green Hills.

Bread & Company was founded in 1992 by Anne Clay as Nashville’s “first artisan bakery serving only breads, rolls, pastries and coffee” in a space with just 15 seats.

In 1995, Clay’s son John III joined the company and helped expand the brand to include salads, soups and sandwiches on the menu.

“Bread & Company built a loyal following and became well-known for its award-winning baked goods, Signature Fruit Tea, Tomato Basil Soup, Strawberry Fields Salad and its Iroquois Chicken Salad sandwich, which was voted ‘Best Sandwich’ by Nashville Lifestyles Magazine,” First Watch said.

“Combining the strengths of both brands means an incredibly differentiated offering for fans of both concepts,” said First Watch CEO Ken Pendery.

First Watch bills itself as the “largest and fastest-growing daytime-only restaurant concept” in the United States.

The Bradenton-based company has more than 120 restaurants in 17 states. It also operates 20 restaurants under The Good Egg name in Arizona.

First Watch opened a restaurant in North Port during September.

For more shopping news in Southwest Florida, follow reporter Justine Griffin on Twitter and Facebook or email her at justine.griffin@heraldtribune.com. Read What’s In Store in print on Tuesdays.

First Watch Restaurants, the daytime cafe chain, is preparing to open its newest cafe in North Port next month.

The Bradenton-based chain, known for its breakfast, brunch and lunch menu, will open its 42nd store in Florida at 17739 S. Tamiami Trail, in the Benderson Development-owned Cocoplum Village. The 3,500-square-foot restaurant will occupy a freestanding outparcel building and feature an outdoor patio.

“We are thrilled to bring our award-winning breakfast, brunch and lunch to residents of and visitors to North Port,” said Chris Tomasso, First Watch’s chief marketing officer. “While it’s true that First Watch has experienced tremendous growth since we relocated our headquarters to Sarasota 28 years ago, this is still the area we call ‘home’ and we continue to seek opportunities to open new restaurants here.”

The North Port restaurant is the third First Watch to open so far this year in Florida. New restaurants opened in Deerfield Beach and Sea Ranch Lakes in the this spring.

The new North Port restaurant will employ 25 people.

First Watch has expanded aggressively since being acquired by Los Angeles-based private-equity firm Freeman, Spogli & Co. in late 2011. The company operates more than 115 restaurants in 16 states. The chain also owns 20 restaurants under The Good Egg name in Arizona, bringing the total unit count to 137.

It is now the fastest-growing, daytime-only café chain in the U.S. In October 2012, it opened its 100th restaurant and has expanded into Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee. The company has been the recipient of more than 200 “Best Of” accolades in markets across the country, including “best breakfast” and “best brunch” in the Herald-Tribune Readers Choice Awards.

First Watch is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The restaurant also offers guests complimentary newspapers and free Wi-Fi Internet access.

For more shopping news in Southwest Florida, follow reporter Justine Griffin on Twitter and Facebook or email her at justine.griffin@heraldtribune.com. Read What’s In Store in print on Tuesdays.

First Watch Restaurants will open a new location in North Port this summer.

The Bradenton-based chain, known for its breakfast, brunch and lunch menu, will open its 42nd store in Florida at 17739 S. Tamiami Trail, in the Benderson Development-owned Cocoplum Village. The 3,500-square-foot restaurant will occupy a freestanding outparcel building and feature an outdoor patio.

The North Port restaurant is the third First Watch to open in the coming months in Florida. New restaurants in Deerfield Beach and Sea Ranch Lakes are scheduled to open this spring.

“The First Watch brand has grown tremendously since we relocated our headquarters to Sarasota 27 years ago,” said Chris Tomasso, chief marketing officer for First Watch. “It seems only natural that we continue to expand our presence and bring our unique offerings, fresh flavorful ingredients and relaxed atmosphere to the North Port community.”

The North Port restaurant will employ 25 people.

First Watch has expanded aggressively since being acquired by Los Angeles-based private-equity firm Freeman, Spogli & Co. in late 2011. The company operates more than 115 restaurants in 16 states. The chain also owns 20 restaurants under The Good Egg name in Arizona, bringing the total unit count to 137.

It is now the fastest-growing, daytime-only café chain in the U.S. In October 2012, it opened its 100th restaurant and has expanded into Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee.

For more shopping news in Southwest Florida, follow reporter Justine Griffin on Twitter and Facebook or email her at justine.griffin@heraldtribune.com. Read What’s In Store in print on Tuesdays.

To enter the giveaway, First Watch fans must sign up for the company’s Sun eClub before Sept. 30 at their local restaurant. Current Sun eClub members are automatically entered into the drawing. One person per each of First Watch’s 110 restaurant locations will be randomly selected to win.

Winners will be awarded 52 brunch bucks, which are available for use once per week. Each brunch buck is good for a complimentary breakfast, brunch or lunch meal for two, which is equal to a $20 value or $1,040 for the year.

First Watch’s Sun eClub is free to join, and members receive regular updates about promotions and coupons for their local restaurant. New members will get a buy-one, get-one free offer just for signing up. Other perks include a free entree for birthdays.

“The Sun eClub is a great way to stay connected with your favorite First Watch,” said Chris Tomasso, chief marketing officer for First Watch, in a statement. “We truly value our customers and what better way to thank them for the past 30 years than with a year of free breakfast, brunch or lunch?”

Participants must be 13 years or older to participate. Limit one membership per email address. Sweepstakes winners will be notified by email after 2:30 p.m. on October 4.

For more shopping news in Southwest Florida, follow reporter Justine Griffin on Twitter and Facebook or email her at justine.griffin@heraldtribune.com. Read What’s In Store in print on Tuesdays.